Duval Comes Roaring Back

MICHAEL MAYO COMMENTARY

AUGUSTA, Ga. — He was supposed to stay near the clubhouse, maybe sip some lemonade under an umbrella by the giant oak tree, but not now, no way.

Not with his best friend Nicklaus weaving that old Jack magic at The Masters. Again.

Not with Nicklaus' name on the giant leaderboards around Augusta National. Again.

So here was John Montgomery Sr., one month removed from a stroke, one week removed from a hospital bed, walking along the 14th fairway on Friday, small steps helped by a walking stick. Nicklaus had just birdied the 13th hole. He was 1 under par. He was two shots off the lead.

"Isn't this something?" Montgomery said.

It's always something with Nicklaus at Augusta. And Friday it was something more. Because he wasn't supposed to be doing this, not at 60, not on an artificial hip, not when the members of The Masters tournament committee already told Nicklaus what they thought of his chances by pairing him with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player the first two days.

"Jack wasn't too happy about that when he found out," Montgomery said. "He was steaming. He said, `I'm no ceremonial golfer.'"

And this was his chance to show them all.

Nicklaus grinned and Bear'ed it when they posed for pictures on the first tee before the opening round, some with the green-jacketed members of Augusta National. Later, he said he understood the pairing, called it "realistic," said he probably would have done the same thing if he were in the tournament committee's position. But inside he simmered with all his competitive rage.

"It's the first time they've taken us and basically made us ceremonial players," Nicklaus said.

The Big Three were supposed to take this nice stroll down memory lane, their 13 combined green jackets enough to re-carpet the Hogan and Sarazen bridges. But Nicklaus, the man who's won six, thought this too harsh a rebuke, even if he will soon have twice as many grandchildren as Masters titles.

After all, the last time he played here, on a bum hip and one leg in 1998, he flirted with the lead on Sunday, finished in sixth place at 5 under, beat guys named Tiger Woods, Justin Leonard and Ernie Els.

Palmer may be a 70-year-old legend, but he hasn't made a cut here since 1983. Player, 64, may be able to do more one-handed pushups than Jack Palance, but he hasn't finished under par here since 1984.

So while the galleries and the commentators were going all soft and gooey, Nicklaus would have none of it. He didn't want a sentimental journey. He wanted blood.

And when he slammed home a 30-foot downhill birdie putt at the ninth hole Friday, after pointing to the heavens and mouthing "Thank you," he was seeing red. Because red is the number signifying a sub-par standing on the Augusta leaderboards, and that birdie meant he was 1 under for the tournament after a front-nine 33.

An hour later, when he hit the green in two at the par-5 13th, a deafening roar went up. It was a Jack roar, one of those unmistakable signs of spring at Augusta.

He didn't make that eagle putt, but the birdie there felt good. The lead was within reach. There was some life left after all. He finished with a 70, settled at even par with a bogey at 18. By day's end, Nicklaus was 18th, six shots behind David Duval, who tore up the back nine playing one group behind him.

"It was a neat place to be," Duval said. "It was great walking down to 10, seeing the `Nicklaus out in 33' [message] on the scoreboard, and everybody was going nuts."

"I believe in myself when I play here," Nicklaus said. "I've still got a lot of guys in front of me, but I've got a chance. I wish we played a Masters every week."

He dusted Player and Palmer, but he said that "wasn't the issue." As Palmer was taking four swipes to get out of a bunker at the 18th green en route to an 8 and an 82, Nicklaus stood with hands on hips.

"I said, `Hit it harder -- I want to play,'" Nicklaus said.

He'll be playing the weekend at this, his 41st Masters. He skipped last year after hip replacement surgery. He has only missed two cuts here as a professional, in 1967 and 1994.

"Realistically, do I think I have a good shot at winning? Probably not," Nicklaus said. "But does that mean I'm not going to try? Does that mean I'm not going to give it my best shot? Does that mean I don't believe I can play, and if I get down to the end, I can't make something happen? Absolutely, I've got to believe, otherwise why would I even be here?"

Palmer was asked if Nicklaus surprised him.

"Nah, he's a young fella," Palmer said. "He's got a lot of zip left."

And now he'll zip on. The scary part is where he would be if he was putting worth a lick. He matched his age in putts the first two days (60). In 1998, he kept getting better every day, 73-72-70-68. In 1986, he opened 74-71 and you know what happened next. Shot 69-65 on the weekend to win his sixth Masters at 46, and all hell broke loose.

Can you imagine what would happen this time?

"You guys would write about it for years," Nicklaus said. "Heck, I'd sit down and write it myself."